Due to the increased risk of accidental slip-and-fall injuries that occur because of snow and ice along sidewalks, it is important for home and property owners to understand their responsibilities for the sidewalks adjacent to their properties.

While different states have varied laws regarding the time frame for how quickly snow and ice must be removed from the abutting sidewalks of any property, in New York City the laws are some of the least forgiving.

Distinguished has made an acquisition that should interest both golfers and brokers alike! In this press release published Dec. 4, 2017, we announce our exciting news about acquiring the international leader in golf promo prizes, American Hole ‘n One (AHNO).

“This is a marriage of equals, and we are excited about the future,” notes Mark Kissick, AHNO’s new president. With this acquisition, Distinguished will build on AHNO’s successful history and focus on major business growth. Check out more info about this new venture at Distinguished, and please contact us with any questions.

While a kitchen remodel was underway in the ground-floor apartment of his four-unit brownstone in Bed-Stuy, Professor Walter Montgomery was threatened with an unexpected expense that tested the strength of his liability coverage.

Without a higher limit on their general liability, homeowners could be in for a world of hurt – the kind that affects the wallet.

When it comes to who will be held responsible for accidental or negligent injuries, with regards to a homeowner’s property, the laws can be a tricky thing to navigate. With New York being one of the most litigious states in the entire country, not only is it advantageous for a homeowner to know the laws, their rights, and their responsibilities – it is essential. It is doubly important for the homeowner to then make sure they have coverage that can handle any situation that could lead to personal liability.

Floods are the most common natural disaster in the U.S. and also the most costly, according to FEMA. The House of Representatives is voting this week to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which expires Dec. 8. BUT we urge you to tell your representative to VOTE NO on this bill, which would slash the “Write Your Own” reimbursement rate, thus cutting agents’ commissions. Take action here.

Five years ago, Hurricane Sandy blasted its way through the Caribbean and up the coast of the U.S., resulting in $70 billion in damages and 233 lives lost. When it hit the greater New York area at high tide, the storm surged and then moved slow, resulting in devastating damage. Hard truths were learned back in 2012,

In honor of Halloween today, we’re re-sharing one of our claims that came in through our City Homes program a while ago.

On a cold, dark night in early November, snow and ice glazed the sidewalks up and down the block. Tired building owners shuffled out at first light to make sure their patches of sidewalk were cleared and salted. All but one, that is. Our insured, who we’ll call Mr. Smith, is the non-resident owner of small apartment building. He decided to sleep in that morning, confident that his son would shovel the sidewalk in his stead. Junior had been out all night and hadn’t woken up to shovel the walk. So when a young woman slipped on that very patch of snow, the only un-cleared area on the block, it didn’t take her lawyer very long to find Mr. Smith’s name and address, and serve him with her medical bills for her torn rotator cuff and spinal injuries.

We talked with Sally Winsted, owner of a newly renovated Brooklyn brownstone, about the loss of some of her most treasured belongings after an unfortunate fire ravaged her home.

Three years ago, brick & brownstone owner Sally Winsted had an unexpected fire loss. While she was fortunate enough to save her home, she lost some of her most treasured antiques in the blaze. Unfortunately, her personal lines insurance did not adequately cover the cost of the lost items. A hard but important lesson for those who have valuable personal property.

Hotel hospitality is all about welcoming guests and being a refuge while ensuring privacy, comfort, and safety. But how does the hospitality industry tread that line between not overstepping guests’ privacy and keeping them safe?

The steady market inflation of property tax increases of New York City brownstones could provide some unique opportunities for those who are savvy enough to grab on.

Market values for one, two and three family homes saw an increase of 8.6% citywide…while Brooklyn saw the greatest increase in market value of nearly 18%. This consistent climb in the market is fantastic news if you’re a real-estate broker, but what does this mean for the property owners that already own a home in Brooklyn area? And what does it mean for their insurance values?

Welcoming a hotel guest with a service animal may be as simple and check-in and check-out. Instituting a refresher on the legal do’s and don’ts of service animals can help hospitality sectors manage these helpful companions with ease. Below, we cover some of the basics of service animal protocol.

Recycling your old carpeting—it’s a thing! The next time your hotel, apartment building, or community association is looking to re-carpet, do a little carpet research before making the plunge with a new carpet company.

TED talker Dan Pink is promoting a right-brain revolution in the business world. He challenges listeners to rethink how businesses motivate staff. Pink makes a strong argument for intrinsic versus extrinsic rewards. But how well would this approach work in traditional workplaces, and how can we incorporate his ideas into our own companies?

Hurricane Harvey is the first major hurricane to hit Texas since 2008 (Hurricane Ike, category 2). It’s scheduled to make landfall on Saturday and expected to bring enough rain to overwhelm bayous and flood large swathes of land. Texas, particularly Houston, is flood-prone and no stranger to the many scenarios which may occur this weekend, but we have four tips to help you and your insureds in Texas make it through the weekend with slightly less panic.

NEW YORK, August 24, 2017 – Distinguished LLC, a group of entrepreneurial businesses serving the insurance industry, is proud to announce that it is has made Inc. Magazine’s 2017 Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment – its independent small and midsized businesses. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Domino’s Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000.

Listed at No. 4354, Distinguished has experienced three years of sales growth of 59 percent. This is the fourth year that Distinguished has been part of the magazine’s 5000 list, starting in 2007 (#4509), then 2012 (#3472) and again in 2016 (#3633).